Anything You Say
by Mered
Summary: It's the usual - after a party for delegation visitors Edward finds himself in a spot of trouble, because you know, sleep talking.
1. Chapter 1

The bastard! Edward seethed to himself. How un-fucking-believable! The gall of the man! Ed made a concerted effort to unclench his teeth and smile politely at a passing dignitary.

Fullmetal, the Brigadier-General's words echoed in his mind, it would benefit the state, no, myself, greatly if you would attend this function. After all, you are a very well-known person and I'm sure the…visitors…would love to get a chance to talk with you. It would reflect well upon us all if you came to the event.

Edward attempted not to grind his teeth again. From his position he could see the asshole general flirting with – Ed's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets – the Cretan prince's wife? The hell? Was he an idiot? Edward was tempted to storm over and give Mustang a good punch in the face but,

Behave yourself, Fullmetal, or you'll find you won't like me so much. An indirect threat to be sure, but would the bastard really hurt him? Probably not. Well…not much at any rate. Not too far away he could see Hawkeye looking unamused and a little off to her right…well. There was someone he could talk to. He sauntered across the floor towards the Xingian prince who seemed to be delighting in taste testing all the food on the buffet table.

"Ling," he greeted his friend.

"Ed!" Ling gave him a huge smile. "I was just tasting some of these…delicacies."

Ed eyed the thing Ling was holding in his hand warily. "I'm not sure I'm that brave. They always serve the weirdest shit."

Ling laughed outright startling some of the other "VIPS" as the Brigadier-General had called them and shrugged trying to sneakily place the-whatever-the-hell-he'd-picked-up back on the plate. A moment later Ling shrugged and tossed it back, grimacing as it went down.

"Ah, I see you found the liver," the cultured voice remarked and Ed felt his whole spine tense.

"Brigadier-General," Ling greeted him, "Good to see you again."

"Prince Yao," Mustang inclined his head, "I'm glad to see you in such high spirits. How is your father?"

"As hail as ever, he doesn't seem to be dying anytime soon…" Ling trailed off and Ed had the impression the word not added on was "unfortunately".

Apparently Mustang had come to the same conclusion because the side of his mouth tipped up into what could almost be considered a grin.

"Well, I'd better get back to making my rounds, have a good evening, Prince Yao." Then he turned his eyes onto Edward, "And I'm glad to see you behaving yourself."

Ed felt his body heating up as the fury built inside of him. Before he could blow his lid, Ling grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Roy could see Ed across the room. He was grinding his teeth and the Prince – Ling – seemed to be trying to ply him with alcohol. He wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. The young – hotheaded – alchemist was complying with Ling. He was letting Ling pour him glass after glass of something. He was rather put out with the Prince – Fullmetal was a terror when he was in his right mind; but drunk? Roy didn't know how the young man would react. The two young men sat next to each other at a small table sampling a few of the different delicacies that some lovely young waiter's had brought them. Enjoyment seemed to cross Edward's face as the eighteen year old laughed at something that Ling had said. Roy felt the tiniest stirring of jealousy. After all the years spent working with one another – well, manipulating Edward – he would have thought that he would have known more about the young man, but in truth Edward remained closed off to him. Closed off to almost everybody. Somehow Ling had managed to break through that barrier and gain his trust. Perhaps this was a good thing for Edward, having a friend that was his age and almost as intelligent as he.

Edward must have sensed him looking because the young man raised his head and stared at him, those yellow eyes narrowing. Roy smirked and turned to the side but not before he caught a glimpse of Ed's irritated face.

A few hours later Ed realized he had ingested far too much alcohol than was good for him. Ling had left an hour or so before with Ran Fan at his heels. Ling had managed to coerce Ed into admitting that his feelings for Roy Mustang were not just all hate. It had embarrassed him and had made him feel ill, weak, and vulnerable. But Ling hadn't said anything, only smiled and told Ed that he was going to leave. He'd also said tonight would be a turning point. Ed felt a tad bit sick and so he leaned against a wall hoping that it would help support his weight.

But why wouldn't it? It was a wall. Clearly he had drank too much. A moment later a shadow fell above him. He looked up through bleary eyes to find the Brigadier-General looming over him.

"Bastard," he said with some resignation.

"Fullmetal, you look delightfully drunk."

Ed's eyes narrowed and he swayed as he pushed off the wall. Mustang caught his arm and stopped Ed from toppling to the ground.

"Would you like some help getting back to your apartment?"

Ed glared. But he let Mustang help him outside supporting his weight. Roy wrapped his arm around Edward's waist and pulled him along.

"You are a bastard, you know that. I wouldn't be like this if you hadn't – " Ed paused, "if you hadn't aggravated me."

Roy's mouth curved up into a smirk. "Fullmetal, really, placing all the blame on me? What did I ever do to you?"

Ed tried to pull away but Mustang had a firm grip on him and refused to let him slip away. Mustang managed to get Edward into the apartment and into his room.

Edward promptly flopped onto his bed and lay there unmoving.

"Come on Fullmetal," Roy muttered. Mustang gently took Edward's clothes off of him, leaving him in only boxers and a t-shirt.

The last thing Ed remembered Roy doing was pulling out his hair tie. After that it was mostly muddled.

Mustang knocked on Edward's door for a good ten minutes the next morning before he gave up and tried the knob. Which was unlocked. Roy nudged it open and carefully eased himself around the corner. He gave a sigh of relief as he reached the bedroom and saw that Edward was simply in a deep, almost comatose state.

In other words he was extremely hung over.

Roy shook Fullmetal extremely hard and Ed opened his eyes to slits.

"What?" he grunted.

"You're three hours late for work."

Edward turned his head to the man and rolled his eyes. "You know, I almost thought you were being nice since I was hung over. Apparently not."

"That's rather the point, right?"

Ed gave a low laugh and said, "I suppose. You've got to admit I was very well behaved last evening."

"For the most part. I got some interesting comments on your…drinking."

"I didn't drink that much."

Roy's eyebrows twitched upward and he shrugged. Then he smiled. "I learned some very interesting things last night."

This time it was Ed who raised his eyebrows.

"You know you're very talkative in your sleep."

Ed's eyes went wide and he shot up. "What did I say?" he grabbed at Roy's collar. "What did I say?"

Roy gave a low laugh. "Well, I guess you'll just have to wait to find out."

"No, no, no, no, no! You can't do this to me!" he wailed.

Roy grinned and waved with a hand as he left the apartment but not before saying, "I think you'll find your next assignment interesting."

Ed let his head thud against the floor. He only knew that whatever he had said Mustang now had a weapon against him. Whether or not he'd actually use it was another story altogether.

Edward stared forlornly at the wall. I'm never drinking again. EVER.

And damn Ling for saying the things he said!


	2. Chapter 2

Ed paced outside the entrance to military headquarters glancing up at the large clock at every turn. The sentry on duty kept casting curious glances his way, but didn't say anything. Ed raked a hand through his hair as he sighed in annoyance. The moment he walked into headquarters he knew he'd be at a disadvantage. Whatever he'd said in his sleep had obviously amused Mustang and now it was about to become blackmail. It was his worst nightmare – or nearly his worst. Edward took one last deep breath and headed inside. For a moment Edward swore the sentry looked at him with pity.

He was still scowling as he opened the door to the outer office and peered in. His eyes narrowed as he speculated how quickly he could get into the inner office. Edward surveyed the occupants of the room and was relieved to only see Hawkeye and Falman in residence. He shut the outer door behind him and made his way to the inner office. Hawkeye smiled at him then returned to her work. Falman gave him a quick nod and he went back to filing. Edward stepped into his commander's office.

Ed rather felt like prey did when a big predator latched its gaze onto them. He shuffled his feet and let the door click shut behind him. Roy was tapping a pen against the desk, one hand propping up his head.

"Fullmetal," he drawled lazily. "You were already late and now you're even later…what took you so long? You weren't planning on escaping were you?"

Edward glared but didn't say anything. Mustang sighed and began to twirl the pen in his freehand. Eyes gone to slits Ed felt rather vulnerable. His eyes shifted sideways towards the exit even as he moved to stand closer to the desk at Mustang's come here gesture. Almost upon the desk now Edward could feel how tense his whole body was and it took all his effort not to spin on one heel and leave. He _needed _to know what Mustang had on him.

He tried to stand still, but his body just wouldn't obey his commands so he shifted weight from one foot to the other. Edward raised his head and met Mustang's eyes head on and instantly felt himself freeze. Those dark eyes were studious and serious as they looked him over. _What did I say? He's so serious all of a sudden. What did I say to make him look like that? _

He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak but, "Take off your shirt."

"—what?" Ed felt confusion and then anger starting to rise. _Take off my shirt? What the hell is the bastard playing at? _

But Mustang didn't look like he was playing. He was wearing his mask and Ed couldn't read anything into the look. He licked his lips uneasily and glanced from Mustang to the window and back again. The Brigadier-General motioned for him to get on with it. "That was a command, Fullmetal."

Ed's mouth twisted down but he began to undo the buttons anyways. He'd made a deal with Mustang at the end of the whole "promised day" ordeal. Ed grimaced as he thought back to it. He'd agreed to behave as much as possible until his contact was up. And he was nine months away from that contract ending and he _couldn't wait _to get out. Well, there were certain things he'd miss. Like the library, and the seemingly endless supplies, and of course there was Mustang's unit as well…he supposed there were those things as well. He thought he may even miss Mustang on a boring day.

Ed finished unbuttoning his shirt and let it drop down his arms. "Can I put it back on now?" he asked with a bit of snark in his voice.

But the Brigadier-General was getting up and moving to stand in front of him. Ed took a nervous step backwards and for a moment he felt utterly vulnerable: as if Mustang was reading his very skin and bones.

He may have well been because a moment later Mustang's hand was skirting down his left side and stopping at his waist. Ed's body was wound tight and his fists clenched –

"You're a little shit, you know that?" Mustang's voice held and edge of annoyance. "This isn't in your records, and it is what could be considered a serious wound."

Ed pursed his lips and looked off into the distance for a moment before admitting, "It _was_. But I _fixed _it."

Edward was sure he saw Mustang blink and he felt like he'd won a tiny victory. "You…fixed it?"

Ed looked off to the side and said, "Yes. Well. It is a long story. Suffice to say in attempting to catch Kimblee the asshole dropped a tower on me and a metal pole went through my side. I used my life force – soul – as a philosopher's stone and healed it. Obviously I needed an actual doctor – and you know the rest. It was rather uneventful in the long run."

"Hmmm," Mustang's hand hadn't moved and Ed was starting to feel uncomfortable and uneasy.

"Was there anything else or can I go now?"

This time Mustang smirked, "You aren't curious about what you said?"

"I thought that I'd said-?"

"Oh, no. That was thanks to a certain slip of tongue by a certain chimera."

_Dead. _He swore. _Dead, when I get my hands on him! _

Mustang's hand rose from his side and it slid up his arm until it settled on his shoulder and then the man was leaning _way too close in his personal space_. The Brigadier-General whispered into Ed's ear, _"It's rather endearing…this interest you have." _Ed jerked his head back and Mustang let him go. Eyes wide he shifted his shirt up and pulled it closed. Vulnerable, his head told him. Far too vulnerable. His heart thumped out an unfamiliar rhythm and he could feel his face burning and – _"Fuck you,_" he hissed.

Roy's mouth curved into a smirk.

"Fuck," Ed hissed, "fuck, fuck, fuck. You weren't – you weren't-!"

Mustang's face lost his smirk and assumed a serious expression. "I know you don't trust me all the time; just know that I may coerce you, but never lead you into something you find morally wrong."

Ed locked eyes with him. His fingers clumsily buttoned up his shirt. "Why not?" he asked bitterly as he tried to regain control of his emotions.

Roy's fingers dug down into Ed's shoulder, "Do you think so little of me -? I know the pain you endured and would never intentionally cause you more."

Ed ground his teeth and turned his face away. He could feel himself struggling between being angry and relenting because it was true. As annoying and infuriating as Mustang was they'd started to become allies. And it was those feelings Ed hated, because they'd started to bloom into something he'd rather not think about. But now Mustang knew, and there was no helping it.

"_Bastard," Ed mumbled and Roy turned back to see what his infuriatingly endearing subordinate needed. But Ed's eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply. _Asleep, _Roy realized. He's already asleep. The young man didn't look like his face was smoothed free of any worry, instead it was contorted into something of a scowl, "…not…fucker…fine…"_

_Roy almost laughed. Then Edward's face did smooth into a more peaceful expression as he mumbled, "Stupid Ling." Roy had to physically smother a laugh. Even in his dreams the young prince seemed to annoy the young alchemist. "'m not in love stupid prince…not with _him_." Mustang felt his limbs tighten up. "cn't be.." Roy's chest constrict and he felt like he was hearing something he had no right to hear. This had obviously been a private conversation between the young men – "I din't break tha bridge…I think. I swear…uhh.." Eyes closed and struggling for breath Roy felt his whole world turned upside down. Edward Elric was certainly unique and he never did anything half-heartedly, he put all of himself into it, and this…unrequited love interest seemed to be taking its toll on him. Well. That didn't exactly say much, apparently the bridge he'd destroyed in Monmouth was also eating him. _

_Silently he left, but not before glancing back at Edward. 'I guess I'll let him sleep in tomorrow, he'll certainly have a headache.'_

Ed felt the man's penetrating stare, but he fled before anything further could be discussed. Upon his arrival at his room Ed had to stop and catch his breath. He wasn't so angry anymore; just confused. Ed had never felt as vulnerable as he had today in a long time. Somehow Mustang managed to strip him of everything he knew and make him uncertain.

Mustang had baldly admitted he'd coerce Ed if it suited his purposes but he'd also said he wouldn't force Edward to do something he found morally wrong. At least the man was averse to forcing him to go against what he thought was right. Mustang was manipulative at the best of times and was very good at it. He could talk you into doing something you thought you didn't want to do – but in the end you still did it because he made it make so much sense. Ed knew this for a fact: he experienced it often enough.

Although…now that Ed thought about it, the man had said _coerce_, not manipulate. So perhaps Mustang was relying on Ed's trust of him – giving him freer reign. Hmmm. That was a very interesting thought. He tucked himself into a large, comfortable chair and pulled a book off the coffee table.

His fingers smoothed up and down the spine as he read and it felt soothing, comforting. It erased the tension and worry from him as he got more and more absorbed in what he was doing. He barely twitched as the door opened and Alphonse stepped in.

"I'm home!" Al called and Ed lifted his hand and waved.

"How was your day?" Al asked as he dropped his suitcase in the entryway.

Ed pursed his lips and rolled his eyes. "It was a day."

"How was your trip to Risembool?"

"Good!" Al said delightedly. "Winry was ecstatic that I decided to come for a visit."

"How's she doing?"

"She's doing well, she's been busy building automail limbs that have a lighter metal content, yet are still strong. She's still disappointed that you don't have automail anymore though."

Ed snorted. "I'm not. I'm glad to be rid of that stuff."

Al laughed at that. " 'Stuff'? I'm fairly sure she'd be upset to hear you call her pride and joys stuff."

Ed leaned back in the chair and rolled his eyes. "She's not here now, is she?"

After that the apartment became lively once more, the sounds of dinner being cooked rang in the air, along with the lower tones of the two brothers debating alchemy or a mathematical equation. To Edward this was perfect. This was all he'd wanted since their failure to bring their mother back. He couldn't help but smile everytime he saw Alphonse gush about one thing or another. His little brother was a ray of sunshine that held him up.

"Oh," Al said suddenly interrupting Ed's train of thought, "I forgot, you had a dignitary function this week, right? What happened?"

Ed's face must have shown what he was feeling because Al raised his eyebrows. "That interesting, huh? You'll have to be sure to tell me all about it over dinner."

Al plunked the pasta dishes down on the table along with their sweet tea. Al gave him another smile. "Let's eat."

Ed had Al practically in tears as he retold the events of the evening. As he got to the part about his apparent drunken exploits Al was hunched over howling.

"It's _really_ not that funny!" Ed protested.

"Oh, but it is! Because it's _you _brother. Only you could get yourself into a predicament like that." Al smiled again. "At least the Brigadier-General is being kind about it. It could have been a lot worse."

"I suppose so," Ed admitted rather reluctantly then sighed. "How is it that you can put it into perspective so easily?"

"I know you, and I know him. And I know how you two function around each other."

Al smiled and touched Ed's hand. "Don't be hard on him, he does try his best to be good to us."


End file.
